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When it became apparent a deal with Geovany Soto could not be reached by Friday’s 11 p.m. CT deadline, the Rangers opted not to tender him a qualifying 2013 contract that would put him in line for a possible raise through the arbitration process. It makes him a free agent, though the Rangers can continue to negotiate with him.

The Rangers are still hopeful of bringing back Soto, but did not think his .199 batting average and .631 OPS in a season split between the Chicago Cubs and Rangers merited a raise off his $4.3 million salary in 2012.

The Rangers currently don’t have a catcher with any significant major league experience on their 40-man roster. Mike Napoli is a free agent.

General manager declined to comment on the Rangers’ catching situation.

The Rangers also declined to offer contracts to right-handed pitcher Jacob Brigham and infielder Brandon Snyder. The Rangers could pursue minor league deals with both players.

The decisions on Friday trim the Rangers’ 40-man roster to 36 players heading into the winter meetings.